Scotland land World Cup clarity after resolution to £6m row
Dispute had threatened status of Gillette Stadium as venue for tournament
Scotland’s World Cup matches against Haiti and Morocco are set to be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough after a financial dispute threatened to force a venue change.
Local leaders in the small town near Boston in Massachusetts were not prepared to grant an entertainment licence at the stadium until a guarantee of approximately £6 million was given to cover security costs.
The Gillette Stadium, that has a capacity of 63,815 and is due to host seven matches at this summer’s World Cup, is now expected to maintain its host status after Kraft Sports & Entertainment agreed to stump up the cash.
A joint statement from Kraft Sports & Entertainment, Boston Soccer 2026 and the Town of Foxborough read: “[We] have reached an understanding collectively that will allow Boston Soccer 2026 and the Town of Foxborough to finalise the details needed to approve an event license at the March 17 public hearing and ensure a safe and successful Fifa World Cup 2026 tournament at Gillette Stadium this summer.
“As part of this arrangement, the Town of Foxborough will not incur any cost or financial burden related to the Fifa World Cup, with Boston Soccer 2026 providing advance funding for security-related capital expenditures and the full extent of deployment that public safety officials have determined is needed to execute the event with Kraft Sports + Entertainment’s backing.
“We look forward to moving forward together positively in our shared goals of providing the highest level of public safety for this historic event and delivering a global experience for our region, which will infuse the Commonwealth and Foxborough with an influx of new visitors and associated economic impact.”
A public hearing is scheduled for next week and the licence is expected to be formally issued then.
Scotland play Haiti on June 14 and Morocco and June 19 in Foxborough before heading to Florida to face Brazil in Miami. The other five matches at the Gillette Stadium include Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname v Norway, England v Ghana, Norway v France, a round of 32 tie and a quarter-final.
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